Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) hosted its 46th annual Commencement Celebration at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, May 7 in the Columbus East High School gymnasium.

 

According to the IUPUC Office of Registrar Services, there are 294 graduates in the Class of 2016, up from 289 in the Class of 2015. The IUPUC Interim Vice Chancellor & Dean, Dr. Lawrence Richards shares, “We are extremely pleased to report the largest number of graduates in any one year in the history of IUPUC.”

 

The keynote speaker for the commencement celebration is Laura M. Hurt, BSN, BGS. Ms. Hurt currently serves as the President of Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, the first not-for-profit, community-based hospice which provides end-of-life care for individuals and their families in 15 Indiana counties since 1980. Before her current position, Ms. Hurt was the Director of Volunteer Services and Director of Diversity Strategies at Columbus Regional Hospital.

 

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Ms. Hurt came to the United States for one year of high school in 1978 as an exchange student to learn English. She met her future husband while here, and after she had finished four years of college study in medicine in Mexico, she moved to Columbus. Ms. Hurt has two Indiana University degrees, General Studies, and Nursing.  She is an active member of this community and has been the recipient of the prestigious William R. Laws Award for Human Rights; the IUPUC Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Leadership award. Ms. Hurt is also well as recognition by the Mexican Consulate in Indianapolis for her continuous work to integrate and empower the Mexican population in Indiana. 

 

Additionally, Ms. Hurt volunteers as a member of the IUPUC Diversity Council, the Heritage Fund Board, the Latin American Education Coalition and the Healthy Communities Council. Also, Ms. Hurt has coordinated a team of volunteers focused on improving access to healthcare services for underserved populations as the volunteer director of the weekly Spanish-language clinic at the Volunteers in Medicine clinic in Columbus.

 

Also, addressing the class of 2016 was Courtney Lynn Seiwert, an undergraduate student of the Division of Liberal Arts and recipient of the 2016 Chancellor’s Scholar Award. The annual award is given to the student with the highest cumulative grade point average as determined by their school or division.

 

The type and number of degrees the university expects to award are:

The individual graduates, listed by their hometowns, are:

For information about the degree programs offered at IUPUC, visit iupuc.edu/degree-programs or call (812) 348-7390.

 

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